Apple Introduces LED-Backlit, Polycarbonate Unibody MacBook for $999

Apple announced Tuesday the release of a new MacBook. The portable features a LED-backlit display, Apple's glass multi-touch trackpad, a built-in, seven hour battery, and a new polycarbonate unibody enclosure. Defying the rest of the industry, Apple is maintaining its entry-level price for the device at US$999.

"The new MacBook includes many of the great features found on the innovative MacBook Pro, such as an LED-backlit display, glass Multi-Touch trackpad and built-in long-life battery," Philip Schiller, Apple senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, said in a statement. "With the only lineup of notebooks all featuring unibody enclosures, LED-backlit displays and long-life battery technology, there's never been a better time to switch to a Mac."

The battery for the new MacBook is built into the unit, just as is the case with the MacBook Pro line. According to Apple, it has a lifespan of up to 1,000 charges, and can last up to seven hours on one charge. Replacing the battery will cost $129 through Apple.

Apple said its new MacBook received a Gold status rating from environmental rating group EPEAT, and that the device meets EnergyStar 5.0 requirements. The displays are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass. Apple also touted the fact that its notebook line contain no brominated flame retardants, use internal cables and components that are PVC-free and are constructed of recyclable materials.

In the past, the primary reason for having FireWire on a consumer laptop was to connect with camcorders. Today, most camcorders use USB 2. The flash and HD-based camcorders don’t need FireWire’s speed because they store and offload compressed files. The few remaining mini-DV camcorders still usually have FireWire, but they’re disappearing. My now-ancient Canon Optura 50 has FireWire and USB 2. However, at my last check, Macs can get DV video only over FireWire—Macs use USB only for stills. Windows PCs can use either for video.

for me it’s the data transfer speed (which is better than USB2.0) and the target disk mode.

hmm, we heard the same arguments for removing firewire from the 13” macbook in October 2008… firewire returned 6 months later. I am willing to bet that Apple will update the MacBook in 6 months to re-include FireWire 800 and add an SD card slot

ACM10:57 PM EDT, Oct. 20th, 2009Guest

Again, Apple releases a Macbook without Firewire. I thought they learned from the last unibody aluminum Macbook that most consumers want Firewire. Even though the cheapest FW MacBook Pro is only $300 more, that’s still $300 some people won’t want to spend. Stripping features in favor of design is Apple’s newest mantra. Shame. I’d have jumped all over this Macbook if it had Firewire. In fact, I would have bought two.

John Lee6:33 AM EDT, Oct. 21st, 2009Guest

Yeah, again no firewire. This is not that good, & also I feel my Macbook Pro 13” also not that pro anymore, I mean if compare with this latest Macbook White…. :(